60s legend says St George's flag 'was a symbol of compassion' as he slams Labour

Cat Stevens, now known as Yusuf Islam, has slammed the government and remarked that the St George's flag "was a symbol of compassion." The British singer-songwriter is best known for his work in both pop and folk music, as well as his spiritual journey, which led him to convert to Islam in 1977. After leaving the world of music for two decades, he later returned in 2006 to secular music and has since written new music and embarked on tours. Speaking in an interview with The Telegraph, Cat hit out at the Labour government and gave his viewpoint on current affairs. He said: "Now they say migration is the problem in the UK, and it isn't.

"The problem is the dysfunction of Parliament and democracy. You've got people who have got no homes, people who have a difficult time making ends meet. The ageing population, the NHS, all these things are problems."

He added: "But then they turn things around and try and find a scapegoat in a sinister attempt to avoid responsibility. So you've got people waving a St George's flag in front of other people's faces and saying, "Go home!" And yet that flag was a symbol of compassion and Christianity at one point. I want to ask, 'Tell me, how many times have you been to church?'"

The singer later spoke about being refused a US visa: "There's this equaliser waiting for everybody. And do you have a visa for that? That's my question to them. And if you don't, what have you been wasting your life doing?"

When converting to Islam, it was a near-death experience on a Malibu beach in 1976 that guided Stevens towards faith.

"I was an Englishman. I didn't know it wasn't wise to go out at that time of day and take a swim, so I did," he told Desert Island Discs.

The singer was on the brink of drowning, but after he offered his allegiance to God to save his life, a wave moved him to shore, he told Rolling Stone previously. "I didn't have any strength left," he told Rolling Stone. "There was only one place to go, and that was God."

Seven years before this ordeal, the star contracted tuberculosis in 1969, which meant he couldn't embrace the traditional rockstar life. He later admitted that after the ordeal, he was "so worried" about his health, so he didn't dare to live like fellow musicians at the time.